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AQA A-Level Computer Science (7517): complete guide to the topics and the exams

A complete guide to AQA A-Level Computer Science (specification 7517). Covers programming, data structures, algorithms, theory of computation, data representation, computer systems and architecture, networking, databases and SQL, the consequences of computing and functional programming, how the two papers and the project are assessed, and how to study each topic for top grades.

Browse guides →Syllabus dot points (48)

AQA A-Level Computer Science (specification 7517) is a two-year linear course assessed by two written papers and a programming project (the non-exam assessment). This page is the index: below is a map of the topic areas, the exam structure, and how to study each one.

The AQA Computer Science topic areas

The specification groups the content into numbered areas. Each builds on the last, and Paper 1 and Paper 2 split the content between them.

Fundamentals of programming: Data types, programming concepts (sequence, selection, iteration), arithmetic and logical operations, subroutines and parameter passing, and object-oriented programming (classes, objects, inheritance, encapsulation, polymorphism).
Fundamentals of data structures: Arrays and records, queues, stacks, graphs, trees, hash tables and dictionaries, including how each is represented and the operations they support.
Fundamentals of algorithms: Graph and tree traversal, searching (linear and binary), sorting (bubble and merge), Dijkstra's shortest-path algorithm, and Big-O time and space complexity.
Theory of computation: Abstraction and automation, finite state machines, regular and context-free languages and the Chomsky hierarchy, Turing machines, and the classification of algorithms (tractable, intractable, the halting problem).
Fundamentals of data representation: Number systems and bases, binary representation of integers (including two's complement) and fractions (floating point), bits and bytes, character encoding (ASCII, Unicode), representing images and sound, and data compression and encryption.
Fundamentals of computer systems: Hardware and software, Boolean algebra and logic gates, the classification of programming languages, and the types of program translation (compilers, interpreters, assemblers).
Computer organisation and architecture: The internal hardware of a computer, the stored program concept and the von Neumann model, processor components and the fetch-execute cycle, addressing modes, and secondary storage.
Communication and networking: Communication methods, networks and topologies, the internet and the TCP/IP stack, network security and encryption, and the client-server model and the web.
Databases and SQL: Conceptual data models and entity-relationship modelling, relational databases and normalisation, SQL, and transaction processing.
Consequences of computing and functional programming: The moral, ethical, legal and cultural issues raised by computing, and the functional programming paradigm (functions as first-class objects, higher-order functions, and function application).

Exam structure

AQA A-Level Computer Science is assessed by two written papers and a project, all completed by the end of the course.

Paper 1 - on-screen exam. Tests programming, data structures, algorithms and the theory of computation by asking you to write, adapt and trace code. 2 hours 30 minutes, 40%.
Paper 2 - written exam. Tests the remaining theory: data representation, computer systems, architecture, networking, databases, big data, functional programming and the consequences of computing. 2 hours 30 minutes, 40%.
Non-exam assessment (project) - a substantial piece of software you analyse, design, implement, test and evaluate. 20%.

How to study AQA Computer Science

Work from the specification statements. Each numbered point (e.g. 4.3.4 Dijkstra's algorithm) is a checklist; questions are written from them.
Write code every week. Paper 1 is on a computer, so fluency at writing, tracing and debugging programs is essential.
Drill the calculations. Number bases, two's complement, floating point and Big-O must be automatic.
Learn definitions precisely. Mark schemes reward exact wording for terms like abstraction, polymorphism, normalisation and the stored program concept.
Apply, do not just recall. The hardest marks come from applying a concept (a stack, a finite state machine, TCP/IP layering) to an unfamiliar scenario.

The topics, dot point by dot point

Each area has specification-statement-level answer pages with worked exam questions and cross-links. Browse the full set at /a-level-aqa/computer-science/syllabus.

For the official specification

AQA publishes the full specification (7517), past papers and mark schemes at aqa.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and AQA's own past papers, because question style is board-specific.

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Common questions about Computer Science

How is AQA A-Level Computer Science (7517) structured?

AQA A-Level Computer Science is a two-year linear course assessed by two written papers and a non-exam assessment (NEA) project. The subject content runs from the fundamentals of programming, data structures and algorithms, through theory of computation, data representation, computer systems and architecture, communication and networking, databases and SQL, big data, and the moral, ethical, legal and cultural consequences of computing, finishing with the functional programming paradigm. Programming is taught in one language chosen by the school (commonly Python, C# or Java).

What are the AQA A-Level Computer Science papers and the project worth?

Paper 1 is an on-screen exam that tests programming, data structures and algorithms by asking you to write and refine code, plus the theory of computation, and is worth 40 percent. Paper 2 is a written exam on the rest of the theory content (data representation, computer systems, architecture, networking, databases, big data, functional programming and the consequences of computing) and is also worth 40 percent. The non-exam assessment is a substantial programming project worth 20 percent, marked against an analysis, design, implementation, testing and evaluation framework.

How much maths and how much coding is in the course?

There is a real mathematical demand: number bases and binary arithmetic, two's complement and floating point, Boolean algebra and logic, Big-O complexity, set and graph theory, regular expressions and finite state machines, and the laws of functional programming. Coding is central: Paper 1 is sat on a computer and you must be fluent at writing, tracing and debugging programs, and the 20 percent project is a real piece of software you analyse, design, build, test and evaluate.

What is the single most common mistake students make?

Treating the theory as separate from the code. The strongest candidates connect ideas: they see that a stack underpins recursion and the call stack, that Big-O explains why a binary search beats a linear search, that two's complement is why subtraction is just addition, and that a finite state machine is the abstract model behind a regular expression. Learn the definitions precisely, but always be able to apply them to an unfamiliar scenario, because that is where the marks are.

How should I revise AQA A-Level Computer Science?

Work topic by topic against the numbered specification points (4.1.1, 4.1.2, and so on), because questions are written directly from them. Drill the calculations (number bases, two's complement, floating point, Big-O) until they are automatic, and write real code every week for Paper 1. Learn each definition in exam-ready wording, practise tracing algorithms by hand, and rehearse the extended-answer topics such as the stored program concept, TCP/IP layering and the consequences of computing.

How does AQA A-Level Computer Science compare to other boards?

All A-Level Computer Science specifications (AQA, OCR, Eduqas) cover the same regulated core, so programming, data structures, architecture, networking and the social consequences are broadly the same everywhere. AQA's distinctive features are its on-screen Paper 1, its strong theory-of-computation strand (finite state machines, Turing machines, regular and context-free languages, classification of algorithms), and the functional programming paradigm. Always revise from the current AQA 7517 specification and AQA past papers, because question style is board-specific.